The half marathon is an event that has grown in popularity over the last 20 years. Unlike the full marathon, it has never been contested at the Olympics or IAAF World Championships but since 1992 it has had its own separate championship.
It has only been a part of the World Masters Athletics Champs since 2013.
World Masters do not, as yet, maintain official world records for this event. New Zealand Masters do maintain records, however athletes remembering to apply for records is a somewhat patchy affair, particularly given the Centres have not adopted the distance for record maintenance.
Curiously, World Masters do not maintain Half Marathon World Records; they only maintain Championship Records.
| NZ National | Oceania Champs | |
|---|---|---|
| M35 | 1:06:25 Sam Wreford (2018) | 1:15.18 Brendan Whelan AUS (2010) |
| M40 | 1:08:22 Ted McLachlan (1996) | 1:12:44 Tony Price NZL (1998) |
| M45 | 1:09:56 Simon Mace (2022) | 1:13.05 Georges Richmond PYF (2010) |
| M50 | 1:13:57 Glen Ferguson(2018) | 1:17:32 David Elward AUS (2002) |
| M55 | 1:17:01 Paul Hewitson (2022) | 1:21:06 Russell Jenkins AUS (2018) |
| M60 | 1:19:18 C Henderson (2004) | 1:19:28 Colin McLeod AUS (1998) |
| M65 | 1:23:27 L Wigham (1999) | 1:22:25 Colin McLeod AUS (2002) |
| M70 | 1:26:49 Selwyn Opie (1996) | 1:31.58 Colin McLeod AUS (2008) |
| M75 | 1:27:51 I Mallowes (2004) | 1:44:11 Irwin Barrett-Lennard AUS (2006) |
| M80 | 2:01:22 Roger Robinson (2022) | 2:23:25 Bill Page AUS (2014) |
| NZ National | Oceania Champs | |
|---|---|---|
| W35 | 1:17.17 Lisa Cross (2019) | 1:26:17 Yvonne Evans NZL (2006) |
| W40 | 1:17.13 Penny Peskett(2017) | 1:29:25 Jenny Dowie AUS (2002) |
| W45 | 1:17.03 Sally Gibbs (2013) | 1:19:38 Bernie Portesnki NZL (1998) |
| W50 | 1:18:58 Sally Gibbs (2015) | 1:36:41 Brenda Fortune NZL (2006) |
| W55 | 1:24:27 Sally Gibbs (2022) | 1:32:33 Lavinia Petrie AUS (2002) |
| W60 | 1:24.06 Bernie Portenski (2010) | 1:40.07 Judth Stewart NZL (2010) |
| W65 | 1:38.26 Michele Allison (2020) | 1:40.10 Lavinia Petrie AUS (2012) |
| W70 | 1:54.55 Barbara Patrick(2018) | 1:37:38 Lavinia Petrie AUS (2014) |
| W75 | 2:26.11 Clasina Van der Veeken (2008) | 2:26.11 Clasina van der Veeken NZL (2008) |
| W80 | no record | 2:39.21 Clasina van der Veeken NZL (2012) |